Friction-shoe for self-playing musical instruments.



PATENTED JUNE 9, 1908. I I. B. SMITH. FRICTION SHOE FOR SELF PLAYINGMUSICAL INSTRUMENTS.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 3, 1906.

I dmz'ifi I RR 5 PETERS co ASHINGTON, n. c.

UNITED sTA Es PATENT OFFICE.

IRVING B. SMITH, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR TO ELEOTRELLECOMPANY, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA, A CORPORATION OF PENNSYLVANIA.

H FRICTION-SHOE FOR SELF-PLAYING MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS.

T all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, IRVING B. SMITH, a citizen of the United States,residing at Philadelphia, in the county of Philadelphia and State ofPennsylvania, have invented new and useful Improvements inFriction-Shoes for Self Playing Musical Instruments, of which thefollowing is a specification.

This invention relates to improvements in what are known in the art asfriction shoes for self-playing musical instruments. Such shoes are, asis well known, incorporated in the mechanism to be brought into contactwith an element by which they are actuated to operate the instrumentaction. Heretofore the shoes have been constructed of wood provided witha sole or facing of cork, leather or other suitable material. In use thewear comes upon the sole or facing and when the same becomes worn to adegree that detracts from an accurate cooperative relation between theshoe and the actuating element therefor, the only remedy has been theremoval of the shoe and substitution of a new one This is troublesome,both in the removal of the old and substitution of the new, andparticularly in the latter operation, because the new shoe has to beadjusted with great nicety.

It is the object of my invention, in the first place, to provide a shoeconstructed with separate foot portion which may be readily, accuratelyand securely attached to and detached from the body portion of the shoe,enabling a worn footto be taken out and a new one substituted witheaseand facility.

In the second place the object of the invention is to improve theconstruction of the shoe in other respects as will hereinafter appear.

To the ends stated the invention consists of a shoe and its elementspossessing the characteristics hereinafter described.

That which is regarded as new will be set forth in the claims appendedto the description.

Referring to the drawings, wherein I have shown that which I regard asthe best known embodiment of my invention,Figure 1 is a side elevationof the complete shoe Fig. 2 is a perspective of the body-portion of theshoe; F1g. 3 is a perspective of the foot-portion; Fig. 4 is aperspective of a spacer or filler element; and Fig. 5 is a perspectiveof a different type of body-portion.

In said drawing, the reference numeral 1 Specification of LettersPatent.

Application filed May 3, 1906.

Patented June 9, 1908.

Serial No. 315,059.-

designates the body-portion of the shoe and 2 the foot-portion. Thebody-portion is constructed with means for the connection of theremovable foot-portion. Preferably this means consists of one element ofa tongue and groove-connection, and as shown, the body portion isprovided with the tongue element 3, 3. The foot-portion, in this eX-ample, is provided with grooves 4, 4, to take over the tongues 3, 3.

Means are provided to insure the accurate positioning of thefoot-portion with relation to the body-portion, and a simple andpreferable means is shown, consisting of a stop in the form of an offsetor lug 5 with which the foot-portion is provided and which is so locatedthat when in the act of assembling the body and foot-portions the stopcomes against a complemental stop such as at 6 of the body-portion, thefoot will be in exactly accurate position.

Releasable means are provided for retaining the body and foot-portionsin assembled relation, which means may be of any suitable description.In Fig. 1, a screw 7 passing through the wall 6 and into the stop 5 isshown. In Fig. 5 the retaining means is automatically acting andconsists of a spring finger S with which the body portion is rovided andthe hook 9 of which takes bac of the stop 5. I/Vhen this type of meansis used it will be observed the stop 5 is confined and held securelybetween the hook 8 and body.

wall 6. I contemplate, furthermore, providing a light, yet rigid shoe,of economical manufacture, a skeleton body portion of sheet metal. T 0this end the said bodyportion is struck up from a sheet metal blank,

referably of steel or aluminum bronze, with lireast wall 6 and wings 10of suitable shape, and with a base 11 to receive the foot portion, saidbase being fashioned to provide the tongues 3, 3. To hold the wings 10rigidly in proper relation to each other a spacer or filler-block 12 isinterposed between the same and may be secured in any suitable way, asby rivets 13. The body portion is provided with means, such as pivotopenings 14, for the pin by which it is incorporated as an element ofthe playing mechanism. When the retaining means are of the kindillustrated in Fig. 5, the spring finger may be struck out from the wall6 as shown. The foot portion 2 is preferably of wood, (maple isdesirable) and is preferably provided with a standard sizes as articlesof manufacture andmay be easily removed when worn and as easily, andwith accuracy and without special skill, be replaced by a new one.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire tosecure by Letters Patent is 1. A friction-shoe for self-playing musicalinstruments consisting of a body-portion having a laterally projectingbase, and a separable foot-portion detachably connected to said base andhaving a convex active face.

2. A friction-shoe for self-playing musical instruments consisting of abody-portion having a laterally proj ecting base, a separable foothaving a convex active face, and a tongue and groove connection betweensaid foot and base.

3. A friction-shoe for self-playing musical instruments consisting of abody-portion having means at its upper end for pivotally supporting thesame, a separate foot portion having a convex active face provided witha facing of friction material, means for separably connecting saidportions, means for accurately positioning said portions when assembled,and releasable means for maintaining the connection of said portions.

4. A friction shoe for self-playing musical instruments, consisting of abody portion, a separate foot portion slidably connected thereto andprovided with a stop, and a convex active face and releasable meanscooperating with said stop for maintaining the connection of saidportions.

5. A friction shoe for self-playing musical instruments, consisting of askeleton body portion constructed of sheet-metal, and provided with alaterally projecting base a foot portion separably connected to i saidbase, and having a convex active face and releasable means formaintaining such connection.

6. A friction shoe for self-playing musical instruments consisting of askeleton bodyportion constructed of sheet-metal having breast wall,parallel wings and base-portions, a foot portion having a convex activeface separably connected thereto, and releasable means for maintainingthe connection.

7. The friction-shoe body constructed of sheet-meta] having breast walland parallel wing-portions, and a forwardly extending base portionprovided with means for connection to a shoe foot.

8. The body 1, constructed of sheet-metal having the breast wall 6,parallel wings 10, forwardly extending base 11, and filler 12 betweensaid wings.

9. A friction-shoe foot of the character described having its oppositefaces respectively flat and convex and provided on opposite sides withmeans for connection with a shoebody.

10. The friction-shoe foot having its opposite faces respectively flatand convex and a stop rising from said flat face.

11. The friction-shoe foot having its oppo site faces respectively fiatand convex, a stop rising from said flat face, and means on oppositesides of the foot for connection with a shoe-body.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in presence of twosubscribing witnesses.

IRVING B. SMITH.

Witnesses:

F. WV. ECKELMEYER, T. J. ltinenA'a. n 1

